Bertha Sutherland

Bertha Sutherland, Nishnawbe Aski Nation Women’s Council

Bio: Bertha Sutherland is a member of the Nishnawbe Aski Nation Womens Council. She is a single parent of a son with Asperger’s Syndrome. She raised her son in a small northern community that had little to no supports for children on the spectrum. In 2008, she moved her son off reserve to the city, and enrolled him in a school that had learning supports to accommodate his diagnosis. They moved back on reserve in 2013 after her son graduated high school. Her son is now in college and is fully engaged in learning the skills for a career in the film industry. Her goal is to see her son live independently of her and in a career that he enjoys.